Re: Chrysler and the Chys of death

[GLewis4457@domain.elided]

In a message dated 9/8/2002 12:35:17 AM Central Daylight Time, 
owner-alfa-digest@domain.elided writes:

> In closing, I have to disagree with Gerry in Houston (as per usual), the US 
> regulations made it economically unfeasible for many Euro manufacturers to 
> justify modifying their cars for sale in North America. 

If they were selling enough cars they would have done it...they weren't so 
they left.  So ultimately it was not the cost of federalizing, but the low 
volume of sales that made it too expensive.

To give you some 
> 
> idea of the low margin levels that make a difference, some manufacturers 
> continued in Canada when sale in the US was not feasible due to our regs 
> being  a lot less restrictive than in the US to begin with. Canada has a 
> TINY automobile market. No, the US clearly indulged in serious 
> protectionism under the guise of protecting the US consumer. The SUV 
> "phenomenon is proof positive of this. 

Where is the proof....even Porsche is getting in on the market...it is not 
keeping anyone willing enough to stay out of the market.  Just who are they 
protecting?

Also, even though European 
> 
> regulations are now at least equal to and probably superior to US 
> regulation, the US still won't accept Euro regs as acceptable. That is 
> protectionism, pure and simple.
> 
You have to protect those manufacturers willing to invest in meeting the US 
spec. You should know that, even as we speak, there are negotiations going on 
for the US DOT, EPA, etc.. to accept EU certification as we do now with 
e-code lighting.  No doubt it will happen, but the wheels move slowly as you 
know.  When the US certification program was set up 30 years ago, there were 
no other certifications to accept.  The US had to enforce its own in order to 
prevent some unscrupulus countries from setting up sham certifications and 
having the US have to accept it.

> My only beef is our Government isn't ballsy enough to just say to heck with 
> US regs and accept anybody's regs. Canada doesn't actually have any regs, 
> we just photocopy Uncle Sam's and three hole punch them for our Statute 
> books!
> 

Saved you alot of tax dollars.

Jerry
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